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ABSTRACT: The morphogen and mitogen Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) activates a Gli1-dependent transcription program that drives proliferation of granule neuron progenitors (GNP) within the external germinal layer of the postnatally developing cerebellum. Medulloblastomas with mutations activating the Shh signaling pathway preferentially arise within the external germinal layer, and the tumor cells closely resemble GNPs. Atoh1/Math1, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor essential for GNP histogenesis, does not induce medulloblastomas when expressed in primary mouse GNPs that are explanted from the early postnatal cerebellum and transplanted back into the brains of naïve mice. However, enforced expression of Atoh1 in primary GNPs enhances the oncogenicity of cells overexpressing Gli1 by almost three orders of magnitude. Unlike Gli1, Atoh1 cannot support GNP proliferation in the absence of Shh signaling and does not govern expression of canonical cell cycle genes. Instead, Atoh1 maintains GNPs in a Shh-responsive state by regulating genes that trigger neuronal differentiation, including many expressed in response to bone morphogenic protein-4. Therefore, by targeting multiple genes regulating the differentiation state of GNPs, Atoh1 collaborates with the pro-proliferative Gli1-dependent transcriptional program to influence medulloblastoma development.
Cancer Research 07/2010; 70(13):5618-27. · 7.86 Impact Factor
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Haotian Zhao,
Tianyu Yang,
Bhavani P Madakashira,
Cornelius A Thiels,
Chad A Bechtle,
Claudia M Garcia,
Huiming Zhang,
Kai Yu,
David M Ornitz,
David C Beebe,
Michael L Robinson
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ABSTRACT: The vertebrate lens provides an excellent model to study the mechanisms that regulate terminal differentiation. Although fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are thought to be important for lens cell differentiation, it is unclear which FGF receptors mediate these processes during different stages of lens development. Deletion of three FGF receptors (Fgfr1-3) early in lens development demonstrated that expression of only a single allele of Fgfr2 or Fgfr3 was sufficient for grossly normal lens development, while mice possessing only a single Fgfr1 allele developed cataracts and microphthalmia. Profound defects were observed in lenses lacking all three Fgfrs. These included lack of fiber cell elongation, abnormal proliferation in prospective lens fiber cells, reduced expression of the cell cycle inhibitors p27(kip1) and p57(kip2), increased apoptosis and aberrant or reduced expression of Prox1, Pax6, c-Maf, E-cadherin and alpha-, beta- and gamma-crystallins. Therefore, while signaling by FGF receptors is essential for lens fiber differentiation, different FGF receptors function redundantly.
Developmental Biology 07/2008; 318(2):276-88. · 4.07 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Bone morphogenic proteins 2 and 4 (BMP2 and BMP4) inhibit proliferation and induce differentiation of cerebellar granule neuron progenitors (GNPs) and primary GNP-like medulloblastoma (MB) cells. This occurs through rapid proteasome-mediated degradation of Math1 (Atoh1), a transcription factor expressed in proliferating GNPs. Ectopic expression of Atoh1, but not of Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-regulated Gli1 or Mycn, cancels these BMP-mediated effects and restores Shh-dependent proliferation of GNPs and MB cells in vitro and in vivo. Genes regulating the BMP signaling pathway are down-regulated in mouse MBs. Thus, BMPs are potent inhibitors of MB and should be considered as novel therapeutic agents.
Genes & Development 04/2008; 22(6):722-7. · 11.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To determine the importance of fibroblast growth factor receptors (fgfrs) 1 and 2 in the metanephric mesenchyme, we generated conditional knockout mice (fgfr(Mes-/-)). Fgfr1(Mes-/-) and fgfr2(Mes-/-) mice develop normal-appearing kidneys. Deletion of both receptors (fgfr1/2(Mes-/-)) results in renal aplasia. Fgfr1/2(Mes-/-) mice develop a ureteric bud (and occasionally an ectopic bud) that does not elongate or branch, and the mice do not develop an obvious metanephric mesenchyme. By in situ hybridization, regions of mutant mesenchyme near the ureteric bud(s) express Eya1 and Six1, but not Six2, Sall1, or Pax2, while the ureteric bud expresses Ret and Pax2 normally. Abnormally high rates of apoptosis and relatively low rates of proliferation are present in mutant mesenchyme dorsal to the mutant ureteric bud at embryonic day (E) 10.5, while mutant ureteric bud tissues undergo high rates of apoptosis by E11.5. Thus, fgfr1 and fgfr2 together are critical for normal formation of metanephric mesenchyme. While the ureteric bud(s) initiates, it does not elongate or branch infgfr1/2(Mes-/-) mice. In metanephric mesenchymal rudiments, fgfr1 and fgfr2 appear to function downstream of Eya1 and Six1, but upstream of Six2, Sall1, and Pax2. Finally, this is the first example of renal aplasia in a conditional knockout model.
Developmental Biology 04/2006; 291(2):325-39. · 4.07 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The developing lens expresses at least three different FGF receptor genes (Fgfr1, Fgfr2, Fgfr3). Furthermore, FGFs have been shown to induce lens epithelial cells to differentiate into fiber cells both in vitro and in vivo. While the loss of Fgfr2 alone does not prevent fiber differentiation and the loss of Fgfr3 alone does not appear to affect lens development, the independent role of Fgfr1 in lens development has not been reported. These experiments were conducted to determine if Fgfr1 plays an independent, essential role in lens development.
To address this question, we took two complementary approaches. First, we employed the aphakia (ak) lens complementation system to show that Fgfr1 deficient embryonic stem (ES) cells were able to form a normal embryonic lens that maintains a normal pattern of crystallin gene expression. Second, we employed the Cre-loxP system to achieve lens-specific inactivation of Fgfr1.
Fgfr1 null embryonic stem cells were able to rescue normal embryonic lens development in chimeric combination with aphakia mutant embryos. In addition, conditional deletion of Fgfr1 does not compromise lens development either before or after birth.
The results of both approaches suggest that lens epithelial cell integrity, cell cycle regulation and lens fiber differentiation are intact in the Fgfr1 deficient lens. Overall, our results demonstrate that Fgfr1 is not cell autonomously essential for lens development and suggests functional redundancy among different FGF receptor genes with respect to lens fiber differentiation.
Molecular vision 02/2006; 12:15-25. · 2.20 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) play important roles in many aspects of development, including lens development. The lens is derived from the surface ectoderm and consists of an anterior layer of epithelial cells and elongated, terminally differentiated fiber cells that form the bulk of the tissue. FGF signaling has been implicated in lens induction, proliferation, and differentiation. To address the role of FGFs in lens development, we inactivated FGF receptor-2 (Fgfr2) using a Cre transgene that is expressed in all prospective lens cells from embryonic day 9.0. Inactivation of Fgfr2 shows that signaling through this receptor is not required for lens induction or for the proliferation of lens epithelial cells. However, Fgfr2 signaling is needed to drive lens fiber cells out of the cell cycle during their terminal differentiation. It also contributes to the normal elongation of primary lens fiber cells and to the survival of lens epithelial cells.
Developmental Dynamics 07/2005; 233(2):516-27. · 2.54 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP), a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter superfamily, is composed of two integral membrane proteins, TAP-1 and TAP-2. Each subunit has a C-terminal nucleotide-binding domain that binds and hydrolyzes ATP to energize peptide translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. A motif comprising the sequence LSGGQ (called the signature motif) and the amino acid that is immediately C-terminal to this motif are highly conserved in the nucleotide-binding domains of ATP-binding cassette transporters. To search for natural variants of TAP-1 with alterations in or near the signature motif, we sequenced the TAP-1 exon 10 amplified from 103 human colon cancer samples. We found a rare TAP-1 allele with an R>Q alteration at a residue immediately C-terminal to the signature motif (R648) that occurred 17.5 times more frequently in colon cancers with down-regulated surface class I MHC than those with normal MHC levels (P = 0.01). Functional analysis revealed that the Q648 variant had significantly reduced peptide translocation activity compared with TAP-1 (R648). In addition, we found that mutations S644R, G645R, G646S, and G646D interfered with TAP-1 activity. TAP-1 G646D, which showed the most severe defect, resided normally in the endoplasmic reticulum and associated with the peptide loading complex, but failed to transport peptide across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Thus, a TAP-1 polymorphism adjacent to the signature motif may be a contributing factor for MHC class I down-regulation in colon cancer. Given the widespread defects in DNA mismatch repair in colon cancer, mutations at or near the signature domain can potentially modulate antigen processing.
Clinical Cancer Research 05/2005; 11(10):3614-23. · 7.74 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Fibroblast growth receptors (FGFRs) consist of four signaling family members. Mice with deletions of fgfr1 or fgfr2 are embryonic lethal prior to the onset of kidney development. To determine roles of FGFR1 and FGFR2 in the ureteric bud, we used a conditional targeting approach. First, we generated transgenic mice using the Hoxb7 promoter to drive cre recombinase and green fluorescent protein expression throughout ureteric bud tissue. We crossed Hoxb7creEGFP mice with mice carrying lox-p sites flanking critical regions of fgfr1 and/or fgfr2. Absence of fgfr1 from the ureteric bud (fgfr1(UB-/-)) results in no apparent renal abnormalities. In contrast, fgfr2(UB-/-) mice have very aberrant ureteric bud branching, thin ureteric bud stalks, and fewer ureteric bud tips. Fgfr2(UB-/-) ureteric bud tips also demonstrate inappropriate regions of apoptosis and reduced proliferation. The nephrogenic mesenchymal lineage in fgfr2(UB-/-) mice develops normal-appearing glomeruli and tubules, and only slightly fewer nephrons than controls. In contrast, fgfr2(UB-/-) kidneys have abnormally thickened subcapsular cortical stromal mesenchyme. Ultimately, fgfr2(UB-/-) adult kidneys are small and abnormally shaped or are hydronephrotic. Finally, there are no additional abnormalities in the fgfr1/2(UB-/-) kidneys versus the fgfr2(UB-/-) kidneys. In conclusion, FGFR2, but not FGFR1, appears crucial for ureteric bud branching morphogenesis and stromal mesenchyme patterning.
Developmental Biology 01/2005; 276(2):403-15. · 4.07 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Although the murine alphaA-crystallin promoter is the most commonly used promoter for achieving transgene expression in the developing lens, this promoter directs transgene expression efficiently only in lens fiber cells. The purpose of the present study was to generate promoters capable of directing transgene expression to the entire lens but not to the corneal epithelium.
Transgenic mice were generated with fragments of the murine alphaA- and alphaB-crystallin promoters, as well as with an alphaA-crystallin promoter engineered with the insertion of a Pax6 consensus binding site driving either human growth hormone (hGH) or Cre recombinase genes. hGH expression was evaluated by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Cre expression was revealed by x-gal staining after crossing Cre transgenic mice with a Cre reporter strain.
Within the lens, the -214/+38 alphaB-crystallin promoter fragment directed transgene expression in the lens epithelium, but not in fiber cells. The native -282/+43 alphaA-crystallin promoter drove transgene expression in the lens fiber cells of several independent lines of transgenic mice, but none of these mice demonstrated significant transgene expression in the lens epithelium. In contrast, the insertion of a 32-bp sequence containing a Pax6 consensus binding site into the -282/+43 alphaA-crystallin promoter reproducibly led to transgene expression in the lens epithelium as well as the lens fiber cells.
The inclusion of a Pax6 consensus binding site within the -282/+43 alphaA-crystallin promoter enhances the ability of this promoter to drive transgene expression in the lens epithelium.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 07/2004; 45(6):1930-9. · 3.60 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: IGF-1 and PDGF are implicated in regulating lens proliferation and/or providing spatial cues that restrict lens proliferation to germinative and transition zones of the lens. However, very little is known about how IGF-1- or PDGF-induced signals are transduced and coupled to gene transcription in lens cells. Therefore, we examined whether these growth factors mediate their effects in the lens through the evolutionarily conserved JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway and if STAT signaling is essential for mammalian lens development.
Expression of STAT1 and STAT3 was analyzed in mouse lens and lens epithelial cells by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Activation of the STAT signaling pathway was examined by a combination of gel-shift, super-shift, and western blotting assays. Regulation of lens proliferation and gene transcription by STAT pathways was assessed by 3H-Thymidine incorporation or RT-PCR assays with lens explants treated or untreated with Genistein or the JAK2 and STAT3 inhibitor, AG-490. Mice with targeted deletion of STAT3 in the lens were generated by Cre/lox recombination and STAT1-/-, STAT3-/- deficient as well as normal lenses were characterized by histology.
We show that PDGF and IGF1 induce proliferation in 1AMLE6 lens cells and couple their extracellular signals to gene transcription, in part through activation of STAT3 and to a lesser extent STAT1 signal transduction pathways. We further show that targeted deletion of STAT3 in E10.5 lens does not produce overt developmental lens defects. STAT1 knockout mice also exhibit a normal lens phenotype.
Our results showing that deletion of either STAT1 or STAT3 does not affect the normal development of the lens is surprising in view of the fact that STAT pathways are activated in developing chick or mouse lens and inappropriate activation of STAT1 pathway in the lens by ectopic lens expression of IFN? inhibits lens differentiation and induces cataract in transgenic mice. Our data thus suggest that although STAT-signaling pathways may contribute to activation of gene transcription in the lens, it may not be essential for normal lens development or STAT proteins may be functionally redundant during lens development. However, because several growth factors and cytokines present in the lens activate STATs in mouse lens explants and 1AMLE6 lens epithelial cells, it may well be that this evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway is under stringent control in the mammalian lens. Whereas deficiency in any particular STAT pathway can be compensated for by any of the functionally redundant STAT proteins induced by a wide array of growth factors in the lens, chronic or prolonged activation of a particular STAT protein may perturb homeostatic balance in STAT-dependent growth factor signaling, culminating in pathologic lens changes.
Molecular vision 03/2004; 10:122-31. · 2.20 Impact Factor
